Hospital breaks ground on Augusta facility

With cold rain and even a few snowflakes riding the north wind, Susan B. Allen board members and executives broke ground on a project that will bring a much needed medical care option to the city. Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital will begin construction Monday on an Immediate Care Clinic at 401 W. 7th St. in Augusta.

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By Kent BushGazette Publisher

Butler County Times Gazette

By Kent BushGazette Publisher

Posted May. 3, 2013 at 2:35 PM
Updated May 3, 2013 at 2:38 PM

By Kent BushGazette Publisher

Posted May 3, 2013 at 2:35 PM
Updated May 3, 2013 at 2:38 PM

The weather wasn’t very good but the news was.

With cold rain and even a few snowflakes riding the north wind, Susan B. Allen board members and executives broke ground on a project that will bring a much needed medical care option to the city. Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital will begin construction Monday on an Immediate Care Clinic at 401 W. 7th St. in Augusta.

The Immediate Care Clinic will offer treatment for minor illnesses and injuries to the community during the afternoon and evening hours and on weekends. Typically, these types of visits would be for fevers, rashes, ear infections, headaches, and minor lacerations or injuries. Care will be provided by a Physician Assistant (PA) or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Susan B. Allen is planning to build a new facility on the site which will also include space for a Specialty Clinic - where specialty physicians whose services are not currently available in Augusta can hold office hours. Other diagnostic services will also be provided including radiology and laboratory services.

Augusta City Council President Matt Childers thanked the hospital for investing in Augusta.

“I only wish the clinic was already open today so I could get treatment for the pneumonia I am coming down with out here right now,” Childers joked. “But seriously, we are appreciative of Susan B. Allen coming to and investing in our community. The need for this clinic was discussed several years ago during a visioning process. We are glad to see that vision come to fruition.”

Gayle Arnett, President and CEO of the Hospital, said she was excited about the project.

“We are excited to be here in Augusta,” Arnett said. “We have talked about it for years. After meeting with (City Manager) Bill Keefer and (Mayor) Kristey Williams in 2009, we committed to the vision of bringing better access to unplanned medical care to Augusta.”

Arnett said Hutton Construction will begin work on the facility Monday and the hospital hopes to hold a Grand Opening at the new facility late in 2013.